It started being built in 2000, and its builders claimed that it was built to protect Israelis from Palestinian suicide bombers. Although it is true that during the Second Intifada some Palestinians did attack and murder Israeli civilians using suicide bombers (people who strap explosives to themselves and blow themselves up), it is also true that Israeli forces killed many more Palestinians. The ratio of dead Palestinians to dead Israelis during the second intifada was 5 to 1, and many of the Palestinians murdered by the Israeli Army and settlers also were civilians. Both Palestinian and Israeli civilians- men, women, and children- have died. Interestingly and hypocritically, the media often would refer to Israelis killed by Palestinians as "victim of terrorism" but for some reason, Palestinians killed by Israelis never got this label, even though they made up more than quadruple the number of victims. As a pacifist and a Christian I am against all violence, especially when it targets people who are unarmed and unable to fight back. This includes killings of any civilians and especially children, regardless of nationality or religion.
The "separation wall" was meant to be built along the 1967 Armistice lines, but it does nothing of the sort. It cuts into the West Bank, taking large chunks of it into Israel. The wall has annexed some 39,000 acres. It steals Palestinian farmland, making it impossible for many people to keep harvesting their crops. Palestinian homes that are deemed to be too close to the wall have been destroyed, its owners of course not receiving any compensation.
Many people call the "separation barrier" instead the "annexation wall" or the "apartheid wall" for these reasons.
Of course, it goes without saying that while the Israeli Government built a wall to keep out Palestinian armed attacks, no one is able to stop it from entering the West Bank at will to destroy people's homes, bring in fanatical settlers, enforce unjust distribution of water, and shoot and teargas villagers when they protest against the stealing of their land.
The wall in the West Bank has a lot of grafitti on it, made by Palestinian as well as Israeli and international activists, who are opposed to it. The wall in Bethlehem is no different.
Below are some pictures of what can be seen on some parts of it. As an unjust structure that was built to rob people and keep them away from each other, I hope and pray it falls soon. I hope and pray for an end to the occupation of the Palestinian people, and a future in which Israelis and Palestinians live in equality and a true peace that only comes when there is justice.
The pictures below are from a section of the wall in Bethlehem, the part under Palestinian Authority control. Most don't need any explanation. I included some writings in Arabic and Danish. I don't know either of these two languages but if someone could read them and send a translation, I would be happy to post it.
Yes, someone actually is making money off this, and set up a "The Wall Steak House".
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